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Fargo police cruiser hits car while driving through red light

FARGO, ND – A police officer here struck a vehicle with his squad car Friday after driving through a red light at a downtown intersection.

The collision happened about 1:25 p.m. at Fourth Street and Main Avenue as an officer was responding to a report of children on the railroad bridge over the Red River. No one was injured, but both vehicles were damaged.

Officer Wes Libner was eastbound on Main Avenue when he stopped at the stoplight, turned on his lights, activated his siren and entered the intersection when he believed it was clear, Fargo police Sgt. Chris Nichtern said.

Mitchell Krauter was driving his new Chevrolet Cruze through the intersection, heading north on Fourth Street, when his car was struck on the driver’s side.

Krauter’s passenger, Lindsey Gress of Fargo, estimated that his car sustained about $8,000 to $10,000 in damages. Krauter could not be reached for comment.

Vehicles that were turning blocked visibility for both of the drivers, said Nichtern and Lindsey Gress, a passenger in Krauter’s car.

A witness, Philip Nelson, said he was traveling east on Main Avenue when the police car passed him with no sirens on and minimal lights.

“I was very surprised at the fact that the officer had no sirens on and was really not using all of his lights when he was going well above the speed of traffic,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he heard the police car use brief loud sound bursts three times before entering the intersection. He did not recall whether the police car stopped at the intersection.

Police are investigating the accident, said Nichtern, who estimated $3,500 in damage to the squad car.